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Legislative Council - Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3)
2008-11-12 Daily Xml
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AUGUSTA ZADOW SCHOLARSHIPS

The Hon. B.V. FINNIGAN (15:23): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for the Status of Women a question about scholarships for women.

Leave granted.

The Hon. B.V. FINNIGAN: Keeping up to date with occupational health, safety and welfare initiatives is important for any organisation for the wellbeing of their staff. Will the minister provide more information on the Augusta Zadow scholarships?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for State/Local Government Relations, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for Consumer Affairs, Minister for Government Enterprises, Minister Assisting the Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Energy) (15:23): I thank the honourable member for his question and his interest in these important policy matters. In 1895, Augusta Zadow became the first female inspector of factories in South Australia. She was also one of the founders of the Working Women's Trade Union which was established in 1890. She certainly had a very interesting life. After finishing her education, she became a governess and lady's companion. She travelled through Germany, France, Russia and, finally, England, where she settled in 1868. In London, she worked as a tailor where she helped reform the conditions for female clothing workers. She married Heinrich Zadow in 1871 and they had three children. They travelled as assisted migrants to South Australia six years later in 1877 where they both became very active trade unionists.

Augusta worked in a boot factory and helped to establish the Working Women's Trade Union, becoming its foundation treasurer in 1890. She was a delegate to the United Trades and Labor Council as well as an active suffragist. In 1893, she established and managed the Distressed Women and Children's Fund. She was appointed as inspector of factories in February 1895. Unfortunately, the following year she contracted influenza and died. She is buried in the West Terrace Cemetery, if anyone is interested.

In 2005—a little closer to our time—Augusta Zadow scholarships were initiated in recognition of the work carried out by this amazing woman. Two scholarships of up to $10,000 each are awarded each year to assist with the occupational health, safety and welfare improvements undertaken by, or for the benefit of, women in South Australia. Scholarships are awarded to undertake further education, research and/or occupational health, safety and welfare initiatives in Australia or overseas. Past scholarships have funded research and initiatives on workplace bullying, occupational stress and mechanical aids to help staff and residents, for example, in aged care homes.

This year's winners announced at the SafeWork Awards on 7 November are Pinnacle Workplace Consultants and BreastScreen SA. Pinnacle Workplace Consultants have been awarded a scholarship to fund a project conducted in partnership with the Briars Special Early Learning Centre, which centres on the development and implementation of manual handling strategies and procedures for high risk activities within the early special needs sector. This project will provide a solution to a particular health and safety issue affecting women at work, namely, the minimisation of musculoskeletal sprains and strains associated with people transfers in the child-care sector.

BreastScreen SA employs 50 female radiographers who perform screening mammography in six screening clinics and three mobile units across South Australia. BreastScreen SA also provides mammography training to female radiographers from private practices and public hospitals at the Mammography Training Centre. BreastScreen SA staff, Georgina Upton and Bronwyn Knight, will undertake a project to identify the occupational health, safety and welfare risks involved with emerging digital mammography technology and to develop and distribute a DVD to show how to manage those risks.

Augusta Zadow played a critical role in securing better conditions for workers in factories, particularly women and children, and many of the working conditions we now take for granted are due to the efforts of this woman. I commend the winners of this prestigious scholarship and I commend them for continuing the work started by Mrs Zadow over 100 years ago.

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